Want to develop better habits? Brain science tells how

It’s New Year’s resolutions time again. That invariably means breaking some bad habits and forming new ones in an effort to improve our physical health and mental well-being. A team of cognitive neuroscientists at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland revealed a new technique to change habits that will lead to lasting outcomes. The findings were published in the journal ‘Trends in Cognitive Sciences’.

 

 

Habits drive everyday living

“Habits play a central role in our daily lives, from making that first cup of coffee in the morning, to the route we take to work, and the routine we follow to prepare for bed,” commented lead author Eike Buabang, postdoctoral research fellow at the School of Psychology, in a news release. “Our research reveals why these automatic behaviours are so powerful – and how we can harness our brain’s mechanisms to change them. We bring together decades of research from laboratory studies as well as research from real-world settings to get a picture of how habits work in the human brain.” The scientists explained that our habits are driven by two brain systems. One elicits automatic responses to familiar cues, such as social media scrolling because of boredom. The other facilitates goal-directed control – for example, stopping scrolling to concentrate on the task at hand. Habits are created when automatic responses triumph over our ability to consciously control them. An imbalance results in daily slip-ups and compulsive behaviours.

Train the brain

What if we were able to control our brain’s habit-making mechanism and then benefit from it? The scientists developed a framework that makes the most of the brain’s automatic and goal-directed systems. It combines neuroscience and practical strategies such as repetition, reinforcement and our surroundings. The study presents two key strategies. “Our research provides a new ‘playbook’ for behaviour change by connecting brain science with practical, real-world applications,” Buabang stated. “We include effective strategies like implementation intentions, so-called, if-then plans (‘if situation X occurs, then I will do Y’), and also integrate clinical interventions such as exposure therapy, habit reversal therapy, contingency management, and brain stimulation. It is important that our framework not only captures existing interventions but also provides targets for the development of new ones.” The research could lay the foundation for customising treatments on the basis of how people make and break habits, with applications in personal growth. “We are all different; depending on your neurobiology, it might make more sense to focus on avoiding cues than reducing stress or allowing yourself more time for your daily routine,” elaborated co-author Claire Gillan, who is an associate professor at the School of Psychology. She added that there are also implications for policymakers involved in public health strategies. “By working with, rather than against, how our brains naturally form habits, we can create strategies that make healthier choices more automatic at both individual and societal levels.”

 

More information: CORDIS.